"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Wonders of wisteria!

Each year, I am thrilled all over again at the sight of our wisteria blossoms. This year is poignant for us as it is the last time to enjoy them here in our secret garden. Today, the couple who bought our home (yes, we sold the house) stopped over to sign the contracts. They have until June 7th to arrange a mortgage and the sale is final. We opened to door to them this morning smiling and declaring how beautiful the garden looks. I am thrilled, needles to say, that they love it and will not be changing it. My heart is in our garden. You can read about it on my old blog here.

In the Language of Flowers, wisteria means welcome. What a fitting this to see then from our street coming up to the garden gate.

This view is what inspired my love for this beautiful purple blossom. This is the view from Dorothy Wordsworth's window at Rydal Mount in the Lake District. I just loved visiting modest Dove Cottage which was the first house she lived in with her brother, the poet William Wordsworth and later in the regal Rydal Mount. I decided at that moment that I wanted a garden with this amazing vine! I could just picture Dorothy looking out through the flowers.

I purchased her Lakeland Journals at a little bookshop in Grasmere and was not disappointed. It is fun to read about every day movements of people in another time. She was an amazing woman and support to her brother.

So I too sit at my window as I write this entry to you enjoying my wisteria even against a very cloudy sky. Each year, Mother Nature gives us this gift anew.

I ponder how I will make changes to our new garden when we have it and how I will be fitting in a couple of these vines into the scheme. Seeing these makes me sad to leave them but I also feel happy at the prospect of designing a new garden as we set up our new home.


20 comments:

Nancy said...

Oh yes, It will be hard to leave this beautiful wisteria, but I am confident
that before long, it will be growing in your garden and I will be able to see it from my roof terrace. LOL, do you hear that JOS?????
Love you and happy the buyers like their new garden.
Mom

Carolien said...

Hello Heidi,

Joehoe! Hurray! You sold the house! Congratulations!!! What a relief in these difficult 'house selling times', and so quickly! I am so glad for you!!! I'll drink to that this evening. André is pouring me Grand Marnier each evening so that my cold will disappear ... ;)
I bet you will find a place for a new wisteria. Gorgeous pictures, by the way.

Have a nice evening & groetjes, ook aan Jos,
Carolien

P.S. The girls exclaimed: did you win a giveaway again? Yep, again, I can't help it. I am very, very spoiled, that's what I am.

Sonja said...

Your wisteria is giving a great welcome to visitors! I am so happy that your house is sold! Now you can dream of your new house.

DonnaTN said...

How exciting that you sold your house so quickly! Now we will hope that all the financial stuff works out as quickly. I love wisteria and its sweet scent! I'm sure your new garden will have a spot that needs some wisteria.

Maggie said...

Congratulations on yur house sale Heidi! I'm sure you will make your new garden and house just as welcoming as this one :-)

Saskia said...

It will be hard to leave this beautiful garden, but you can create a new one. And that will be a lot of fun too. I will be happy to help you in time, because now I know the different between weeds and flowers lol...
Saskia

Joanne said...

Heidi,
Beautiful photos of the wisteria! I just adore it and took some photos today which I plan to post about this coming week. Such a graceful and elegant flower!
Thanks for the peek,
Joanne

Marsha said...

I love wisteria. It's so lush. I also love 'pinks'. I can't get enough of that clove like scent. I can't believe flower breeders bred the scent out of roses and carnations for so long. What were they thinking???

Ginny said...

Congratulations on selling your home! How wonderful that the new owners plan to leave your garden intact. When we sold our previous home, I had just gotten my front garden as I wanted it, and was devastated when the new owner pulled everything out. If I'd known, I'd have tried to bring more plants with me. Enjoy your wistera, and be sure to plant lots in your new garden!

Annemarie said...

Huge congratulations on selling your house, Heidi! I can imagine it will be hard to leave, though. The garden - and the entire house - is so beautifully decorated. Sigh... Anyway, I can totally see why you're so fond of wisteria. One of the cottages here has a wisteria-welcome as I like to call it. I pass it every day, and I can't get over how beautiful it is!

Kaaren said...

Congratulations on the sale of your home, Heidi. It must be a wonderful feeling to know that it sold so quickly and to people who will appreciate the work that you put into it.

Our winters are too harsh in order for wisteria to survive here. I tried it the first year when we moved from Florida but we are about a zone and a half too cold. Yours are absolutely glorious and I'm sure you'll find a perfect spot for some new ones in your new home.

Lots of work and exciting times for you and Jos ahead. It'll be fun to share in your journey.

Jenny said...

Congratulations on selling your house Heidi. The wisteria is lovely, and it sounds like the new owners loved it to. It is so nice to have all your hard work appreciated. I know that you will make your new garden just as lovely, and that the new memories you make in your new home will be just as beautiful as the ones you hold now. That is the beautiful thing about memories, they are keepsakes, always to be treasured. And I am sure when you share pictures of your new garden there will ba a beautiful wisteria blooming in it. Hugs from California.

Linda said...

Heidi, your wisteria is gorgeous! We have wisteria too, our tree/vine was planted 35 years ago and each year blooms it heart out. This year it seemed especially pretty until the winds came and then poof...it rained purple petals and that was even pretty. How exciting to have sold your place and now your new adventure begins. I'm happy the future owners love your wisteria and think off all the pleasure you are going to have planning additions to your new place, what fun....hugs, Linda

p.s. Thank you for your sweet comments about the rose pictures...the blooms are from my garden...L

Tone said...

Åh... - fantastic!!! 'Wish it was me! Here in Norway only a few areas can have wisteria - we call it "blåregn" (which means "blue rain") The leaves will come, but not the blue flowers....a pity - because I would definately have this in my garden, but no....

Here it is frozen cold....the leaves has finally started on the trees, and tulips has arrived, but... snow last week. Tonight we had 3degrees below zero... so I still run out with woolen blankets to cover plants in the garden, that needs extra caring...

So nice to show off the house to the new owners like this!!

Have a nice week!!
Tone

hazel c UK said...

So pleased the house is sold Heidi and I know the new owners will enjoy it like you have. The wisteria is beautiful and I remember it well when we came 2 years ago. My daughter's is flowering this year the first time since she planted it 7 years ago.
I know you will enjoy designing your new garden and I am sure wisteria and tulips will be in it.
Hugs,
Hazel (UK)

Linda said...

Heidi,

The wisteria is so beautiful - the way it drapes so gracefully - reminds me of pretty ladies in their lovely ballgowns from the olden days!

Linda in VA

Simple Home said...

Your wisteria is beautiful. I can imagine your garden is what you'll miss most. I happy to hear that you sold your house though, and especially to a couple that will appreciate the garden too.
Blessings,
Marcia

Brigitte said...

When I look at the pictures of your present garden I can fully understand the mixed feelings you have. It would be hard for me to leave our garden that we (mainly my husband) were caring for for so many years now. It's not such a beautiful garden as yours is, it's more of the wild type, but I love it.
You have the chnace now to create a completely new one with new ideas and mew plants. What an adventure.

Tone said...

Hei!
I have tried to find out if I can have a wisteria here, but no...

Off to our cottage in the mountain for some days tomorrow - to SNOW.
A pity, we were going to bring some new furnitures and stuff up there - but no, we have to bring ski...30cm of snow are waiting.
Well... I can always clean the cottage so it is clean before summer!
Happy weekend!

angelasweby said...

What a beautiful scene Heidi and one which immediately transports me back to two years ago when this wonderful sight welcomed us on our arrival to your lovely home. I was so interested to read that it was that pretty scene from Dorothy Wordsworth's window that started off this love affair. I am sure that it will not be long before you have a wisteria vine established in your new garden.
I love reading about the everyday events of people's lives hundreds of years ago too :>)
Angela xx